Styles....

Well, this thread is inspired on the Nelson...help thread (I think that's the name of it). Anyways, this thread is focused on styles and anything about them, but I wanted to start off with 2 questions on style...

1) What is "ghetto-style" exactly? Is it another name for cheap? Moves one would typically highly underrate? Anyways, the name gives me a laugh, but I don't really know what it is. So could someone explain? Also, would someone be able to add it to the list of styles in the lexicon?

2) How many of the above average to expert players (estimate percentage or whatever) mix styles? Like in a match, practically altering them between rounds or even in the middle of the rounds? Say someone played as Shun and fought with a typical drunken style... and then the next round practically went 180 and played a -- what I call "sober boxing" style? Has anyone successfully thrown off their opponent's yomi doing this? Maybe even cause the person to stress into a seizure? jk.

I think your question is worded wrong - style is how you play the game. The basic are defensive, offensive, and passive. Types of defensive are machi which involve allot of blocking. Another type is the type of player who moves around allot and back steps. Offensive styles fall into the rush person - who wishes to bombard you with a million moves at various levels. The pecker - which is not quite as offensive. The person who hits with a few safe moves and then retreats. The last offensive type would be the most defensive orientated which is the person who waits for an opening for a power move..only using a few other very safe punches and kicks to create that opening.
The passive player is the one who combines both of them..and generally is not decided to be either offensive or defensive.

I think your question is worded wrong - style is how you play the game. The basic are defensive, offensive, and passive.

I don't think the question was worded incorrectly. You are right in that a definition of "style" is how you play the game, and I believe Chanchai wanted to know "how" Nelson played his Shun. The "ghetto" style is just a cute label for the way he plays.

Types of defensive are machi which involve allot of blocking.

Machi<sup>1</sup> does not involve a lot of blocking. If it did, it would imply that the style relied on lots toe-to-toe fighting. The principle behind Machi play is to stay back and wait for your opponent. Machi players rarely initiate the attack and prefer to lull their opponents into making mistakes upon which they can capitalise on. They play the waiting game, with lots of back dashing the moment they sense risk, and employ hit and run tactics. I never have fun playing against these type of players at all. Also affectionately known as chicken style. Anyone remember ACPC?

My take on the whole playing style thing is that you really must play the player, and not allow yourself to fall into some fixed routine. The best players are very good at adapting to different styles and players, and you can't learn that from no guide.

LOL!... "GHETTO styyyyle!!!" The Chicago crew used to say this all the time. It's not necessarily a cheap form of play... it's kinda like...
"must win" ... at least that's my understanding of it. You just do WHATEVER it takes to win a match and with no flash at all. Like if time
is running out and you just start jumping around to get away. Andy uses Wolf and if time is running down and he has more life, he'll do
stuff like K+G just to fall on the ground so that you can't really hurt him with anything more than a pounce. Or like if I ring someone out
by forcing them out with repeated sonic rolls with Kage. Faustino does repeated sweeps with Aoi. Shota plays ultimate maichi. It's just
so blatantly obvious that the guy is trying to win whatever the cost. You usually here people say stuff like "damn, that shit is ghetto."

Ha ha... I really can't explain it that well, but it's just funny to say also.

Another term we use in Chicago is "base" style. Where you only use like 3 or 4 moves when you play. Just really simple, boring, and
effective style of play. Kinda like PETE style Kage, but you can use it for any character. "Your strategy is so... BASE." Heh heh.

::I think your question is worded wrong - style is how you play the game. The basic are defensive, offensive, and passive.::

I just want to support what Myke has already pointed out. Chanchai knew exactly what he was asking, and I think it's a good topic for a discussion board.

::My take on the whole playing style thing is that you really must play the player, and not allow yourself to fall into some fixed routine. The best players are very good at adapting to different styles and players, and you can't learn that from no guide.::

Myke, I agree with you completely. Part of what you say supports indirectly what I was trying to say (in the thread Chanchai alludes to) about playing Shun. I think unpredictability is an important factor in playing VF3TB. Others have stressed the need for Yomi. Well, common sense and logic tell me that if Yomi (which is essentially predicting what the opponent is going to do) is critical, then so is being unpredictable. How else do you prevent someone from predicting what you are going to do? I mean, we're talking tautolgy here. So I stress playing with unpredictability. One consequence of this is that I avoid flow charts. Another is that I believe in trying to play using a balance of intuition and observation. This is just my style. It's not right or wrong. I watch my opponent closely to observe his/her style, but I use an intuitive "feel" to make my moves. But of course, this intuition probably has experience subtly hidden behind it.
My style seems to work best for me if I learn the ins and outs of each of my character's moves.I practice them, without worrying about their utility, till they become second nature, so that they can flow out easily when my intuition calls for them. Again, that's my style.
One other point about style. It helps to ask yourself what is your main aim, your overriding purpose, for playing VF3? Mine is to have fun. To paraphrase Rich, it's a game. I happen to think it's a damn good one and a hell of a lot of fun. It interests me, but it's still a game. So my style is affected by this -- it reflects my reason for playing VF3. If you read what I said in the Nelson thread, you may see that resonating in my suggestions for playing Shun. I happen to think that playing him is ideal for having fun, for using your brain (which is an excellent way of having fun), and for being unpredictable.

Over time, I noticed that people from different regions play very different games. Not to mention the differences between Japan and US, but even within the US.

For example, I found that players in NY play very CLEAN game. Their stuff looks sophisticated and impressive to your eyes. At the same time, I can confidently say that some players from Chicago are as competitive as NY players, they don't look pretty.

Harold said that the Chicago style is "MUST WIN" type. In my opinion, it's not exactly the same; I say this to defend fellow Chicagoans. We DO have a share of conscience, so we normally stay from ultra-cheap stuff. What we try to concentrate is to play the game effectively. Knowing which moves are useful, what combos yield the max damage in given circumstances, and so forth. And...flashiness usually gets tossed out in the process.

For example, I now discourage people to use Korean-stepping. While it's pretty and good for finger exercising, it also gives you very bad habit. KS builds a habit of doing unnecessary movements. KS is useful, no doubt about that. But learning when and how to use it is far more important, rather than to look pretty.

OK...I am digressing. All and all, I am a convert. Before, I was this KS crazed, no-pounce, no-backstep, flash at any cost type of player. Now, I am almost completely the other way. Why does my Lion have to go head-to-head against Kage/Jacky so as to contribute to their win? The game became more fun for me. And even if I lose, I have no excuse to save myself. I did my best but still lost. Since then, kicking the VF3 cabinet was no more....

Thanks everyone for contributing and responding to my post So far I honestly like what EVERYONE has posted. In fact, I encourage anyone who has not posted about anything on style, a humorous or entertaining or intrigueing style one may have witnessed, poking fun at newbie traps (what newbies tend to do that sticks them at the newbie level in terms of style), anything about style.

Bruce Lee and also my martial arts instructor Al Dacascos (want me to send you a few magazine articles on him ) are both strong proponents of taking what works best for you in various styles (hence being eclectic or part of an eclectic system) and applying it to yourself. This is to an extent, however. They both also imply that you learn them, and then unlearn them. The unlearn them aspect is more like breaking out of the habit of letting it dominate you. A better picture of this is to make it a part of you naturally that you don't have to even think about doing it and at the same time you don't get caught up in the different styles. I agree with some of the posters (Myke, Imashroom) that a style should not dominate you. The way I look at it is that it's best to be able to learn some of the styles if not many or all, and also best to develop your own, and then use them accordingly in a natural manner that is more spontaneous, not quite planned but fits the goal, and works for you. In doing so you tend to do something that is fun for you, something you know well, and you flow naturally in your technique. However, be aware of your own habits... To break all habits ends up in a good thing against the opponent's yomi. Anyways, there's the rant from the scrubby player known as Chanchai (I'm getting past scrubby, but I want to set the record straight that I'm no expert nore have any claim to being near it).

Well, a certain person (you'll find out who it is shortly) I've been chatting with told me certain aspects of his style. In fact, many would not count it as a style, but I certainly do. I'll just say that all things about the gamer and not just limited to the scope of VF3 mechanics is a part of someone's style and well... this particular gamer has a style which I like to call "stand-up style." Does it involve standing up? Well, not really. It's a reference to stand-up comedy, because this particular gamer likes to make certain cracks (humorous and usually non-offending... I hope) and even impersonates Mike Myers while playing Taka (something like, "I'm gonna put'cha in mah belly!!!")... Anyways you can all ask Shadowdean about this/his "stand-up style"

Let's keep this discussion on "styles" going And again, thanks a lot for the people who responded =)
-Chanchai

Another term we use in Chicago is "base" style. Where you only use like 3 or 4 moves when you play. Just really simple, boring, and
effective style of play.

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Here in Toronto, we call this style "safety play". Very effective, very boring.

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For example, I now discourage people to use Korean-stepping. While it's pretty and good for finger exercising, it also gives you very bad habit. KS builds a habit of doing unnecessary movements. KS is useful, no doubt about that. But learning when and how to use it is far more important, rather than to look pretty.

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I wouldn't discourage people from using KS. The only to learn how to use something to your advantage is to practice it, and practice it again. Incorporating effective movement and control into your game can be very powerful.

Jo steps like no other i've seen and he's ultra devastating. IMO, KS is the movement equivalent to Taiwan Step in VF2. Taiwan step shut down the Japanese "in your face" style when some of the tetsujins played the best taiwanese players (no.4, etc) way back when.

Some characters are much better suited for KS anyway. KS is a definite bonus to an Akira player and/or a Lau player since many of their effective and powerful moves are performed from a crouching position.